Your Complete Guide to Upcoming Alien Invasion Movies

I'm not sure what recent film announcement it was that triggered Cinematical Editor-in-Chief Erik Davis to note that there seemed to be a growing number of movies about aliens getting the green light from Hollywood, but until he asked me to make a guide compiling them all together, I hadn't quite taken note of the trend. But now that I have assembled the whole batch in one place, it's pretty clear that Hollywood has been sitting on a fear that our little blue planet is going to be overtaken by little green men. I guess making a bunch of movies about the hypothetical is the only catharsis they can get.

That, or, and this is the more likely scenario, alien invasions are always a great excuse to blow things up and film it. I just hope one of the below films does contain a UFO dishing out a bigger blast than the one that topples NYC in Independence Day. I think such a sight has been a long time overdue.

Anyways, I present to you Cinematical's Complete Guide to Upcoming Alien Invasion Movies.

Note: These are listed in chronological order, but I wouldn't bank on some of the later films sticking too tightly to their announced release dates.

What's it about: Six years after a crashed NASA space probe introduced an alien life form to the world, a man must escort his bosses daughter through the infected zone before they're stuck in Mexico.

When's it coming out: October 29, 2010

Why it might be awesome: Combing guerrilla-style indie filmmaking with the giant monster movie genre is bound to make for a unique film.

Why it might suck: Having seen Monsters, I'd say there is no "might suck" and that is actually awesome, but playing Devil's advocate, Edwards' film may be a little too slow, a little too intimate of a story than what most people want out of a movie called Monsters.

What's it about: From Moviefone: "In the sci-fi thriller Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth."

When's it coming out: November 11, 2010

Why it might be awesome: I am completely game for any sci-fi plot description that contains the phrase "drawing people outside like moths to a flame." It's also got a pretty interesting cast that may help solidify this as a very cool B-movie.

Why it might suck: The Strause brothers also made the dismal Alien vs Predator: Requiem, so their track record with extraterrestrials isn't too hot, so this may be all eye candy and little else.

What's it about: A group of nine aliens are hiding out on Earth, trying to live normal lives as teenagers lest the evil rival aliens that attacked their home world find them. Of course, eventually their covers are blown.

When's it coming out: February 18, 2011

Why it might be awesome: All of the aliens have "extraordinary, paranormal skills," so if the writers are creative enough this could definitely be a welcome alternative to a glut of increasingly familiar superhero movies. Plus, it's got Kevin Durand in it, who can improve almost anything.

Why it might suck: The "teenagers who are aliens" plot sounds like the kind of lame book you'd read in middle school. In its defense, the young-adult demographic is exactly who this movie is for, but hopefully it will be on the more mature side of that target audience.

What's it about: It's technically a prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing, this time telling the story of what happens to the Norwegian camp of scientists who first discover an alien frozen in the Antarctic.

When's it coming out: April 29, 2011

Why it might be awesome: I love that they're making this a prequel and not a direct remake. There certainly is more of the story to be told (whether it needs to be told is a different matter entirely).

Why it might suck: This is Van Heijningen Jr.'s first feature film and the man brought in to rework Ron Moore's original script doesn't inspire too much confidence considering his last attempt to update classic '80s horror pissed off a lot of people.

Who is behind it: Jon Favreau (Iron Man 1 & 2, Zathura) is directing from a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci (Star Trek, Transformers) and Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Iron Man, Children of Men)

What's it about: Exactly what the title says. Set in the 1800s, a group of gunslingers try to fend of an alien spaceship trying to enslave the human race.

When's it coming out: July 29, 2011

Why it might be awesome: Favreau has completely proven himself as a blockbuster filmmaker, it's got a very interesting cast, and it's freakin' cowboys fighting aliens.

Why it might suck: Hollywood mixing future tech with the 1800s hasn't exactly worked out too well thus far and no one wants to see another Wild Wild West or Jonah Hex. It's also based off a comic book that very few people have ever actually read.

What's it about: Details are vague, we just know it's about a group of kids in Russia trying to survive an alien invasion.

When's it coming out: August 5, 2011

Why it might be awesome: A really promising cast, a director who can crank up the intensity on small, action-less moments, and a setting you don't often see in movies of this ilk (The Darkest Hour actually had to shut down production for a while because of the fires raging outside of Moscow).

Why it might suck: Given how little has been released about this film, I actually can't think of any real evidence it might suck.

What's it about: We don't know. The only reason I'm even including it on this list is because the teaser trailer implies non-humans are involved and the viral marketing thus far has featured a number of ties to the US space program.

When's it coming out: 2011

Why it might be awesome: It's Abrams making a tribute film to the Amblin days of Spielberg.

Who is behind it: This has been Timo Vuorensola's passion project for years.

Who is in it: Udo Kier

What's it about: The Nazis secretly colonized the dark side of the moon in 1945. In 2018 they will return.

When's it coming out: 2011

Why it might be awesome: Nazis in space. Case closed.

Why it might suck: Iron Sky has been a fan film passion for years, so if it does ever actually get made as a feature film, it may never be able to escape the lower end production qualities often found in fan films.

What's it about: The third adventure of two agents of a secret government agency tasked with policing all of the different aliens currently living on Earth. The script is said to involve time travel this time around.

When's it coming out: May 25, 2012

Why it might be awesome: I don't think anyone was dying for a third MIB after the disappointing second entry, but it will still be great to Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones playing off each other after all these years. Plus, Rick Baker is back, so at the very least we should once again see some really cool practical make-up effects.

Why it might suck:Men in Black 2 proved that the well of kooky aliens can run dry, so a third trip may be pretty dry.